Steam table



Feb. 8,; w38. B. P. sKJEl'avEN STEAM TABLE 2 sneetssheerl Filed Jan. 15,

TORNEYS.

Feb. E938. s. P. SKJERVEN STEAM TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 15,1956 'Fig'. 7

/Nvzyolc v \V e a? Y AT RNEYS.

Patented Feb. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES 4PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to tables such as are used in massaging thebody, and an object of this invention is to provide a table which cannot only be used for massaging purposes, but which is also adapted foruse in giving steam or vapor baths and the like without requiring theuser to move to a separate room or special cabinet for that purpose.

This and other objects which will be apparent to those skilled in theart are attained by the invention which is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a table constructed in accordance withone embodiment of this invention, showing the steam hood in operativeposition over the table. A

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the table shown in Fig. 1with the hood located half way between operative and inoperativepositions.

Fig. 3 is an end View of the table shown in Fig. 2 partly in section.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, showingthe hood supported in inoperative position beneath the table.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the hood, showing one end plateand a supporting arm in elevation.

Fig. 6 is a View partly in section from the bottom of Fig. 5, and

Fig. '7 is a bottom View of the table.

The illustrated embodiment of the present invention comprises a table Iof suitable size for massaging purposes. A hood-supporting shaft isrotatably mounted beneath and extends longitudinally of the table top.Hood-supporting bracket arms I2 are secured to the shaft adjacent eachend of the table. The bracket arm at the foot of the table is secured toone edge of a substantially semi-circular end plate I3 located formovement through a slot |4 extending transversely across approximatelyone-half of the table near the foot thereof. The other bracket arm issimilarly secured to one edge of an arcuate head plate I adapted to movethrough a slot I6 near the head of the table. The inner edge of the headplate l5 is reinforced by a channel Il.

A semi-cylindrical, sheet metal hood I8 extends between the end plates,is secured thereto and cooperates therewith in forming a hood forcovering a patient reclining on the table when it is desired to give asteam or other form of vapor bath. The edges of the sheet metal hood I 8are reinforced by channels I9 which are secured thereto and are fastenedat their ends to the end plates I3 and I5. 'Ihe hood section I8 ismovable from inoperative to operative position through a slot extendinglongitudinally of the table adjacent one side edge thereof andconnecting the outer ends of the transverse slots I4 and |6.

While it is apparent that the present invention 5 is adapted for givingany type of vapor bath desired, for the purposes of description it isassumed to be arranged for the giving of steam baths. For this purpose asteam boiler 2| is hung on straps 22 at one end of the table and a 10vlower end of the manifold is connected to a con- 20 densate return pipe26 leading back to the boiler,

as shown in Fig. 3. 'Ihe steam boiler is also connected by a steam line21 to the bottom of a cabinet 28 for heating towels or for some similarpurpose and a condensate return 29 connects the 25 bottom of the cabinetwith the boiler. A threeway valve 30 is provided for controlling theflow of steam from the boiler to either or both the steam manifold andtowel cabinet, or for shutting olf the supply of steam entirely.

Movement of the hood from operative position shown in Fig. 1 toinoperative position shown in Fig. 4, in which the hood, while stillsupported entirely from the table, is suspended beneath the table so asto be out of the way, is accomplished by rotating the hood-supportingshaft I I. Any desired type of mechanism can be employed for thispurpose, such, for example, as the counter balanced crank arm 3| securedto a projecting end of the shaft II and having a counter balance 32 40for counter balancing the weight of the hood to permit easy rotation ofthe shaft.

Operation of the device and the method of its use will be apparent. Itis to be noted that the slot I6 through which the arcuate headplate 45I5 moves is spaced from the head of the table a distance sucient toprovide a head rest 33 for the user. When the hood is in the inoperativeposition shown in Fig. 4, beneath the table, it is entirely out of theway and yet takes up no more space in the room than that occupied by thetable itself. When the table is to be used for a steam or other type ofvapor bath, the crank 3| is operated to rotate the hood-supporting shaftand. move thehood through the intermediate position YLio shown in Figs.2 and 3 to the operative position Y shown in Fig. 1 in which the freeedge of the hood rests on the table top and forms with the table top anenclosed cabinet. This movement of the hood from inoperative tooperative position, andV vice versa, is accomplished without causing thehood at any time to project beyond the connes of the table edge. Inother words, the device is operative without requiring any space in theroom other than that taken up bythe table alone. The patients head onthe head rest 33 is outside of the steam hood and towels or the like canbe secured to the inner ange I1 of the arcuate head piece to prevent theescape of steam.

It will be apparent that the invention be variously modified within thescope of the appended claims.

1. An article of manufacture comprising a Y table, a hood adapted tocover a person reclining on said table and to cooperate with the tabletop to form a vapor bath cabinet, a hood-supporting shaft mounted onsaid table, hood-'supporting arms mounted on said shaft, Vend platesmounted on said arms for movement through slots extending transverselyof the table, a semi-cylindrical body member supported between said endplates and movable through a longitudinally extending slot in said tableand means for moving the hood formed thereby into and` out of operativeposition over the table. Y

2. An article of manufacture comprising a table, a hood cooperating withthe top of said table to form a vapor bath cabinet for the treatment ofa person reclining on said table, a source of steam, a steam manifoldconnected to said source of steam and extending alongysaid table in anupwardly Vinclined direction, steam inlets connecting said manifold withthe interior .of said cabinet, and a -condensate return connect- Vingthe'lower end of said manifold with said source of steam.

3. An article of manufacture comprising a table having a substantiallyunobstructed top adapted to be used for massage purposes and providedwith a transverse slot extending part way across said table spaced fromone end thereof sumciently to provide a head rest between said slot andthe end of said table and a longitudinal vcooperates therewith to form abath cabinet, end

plates connected to said body portion including an v,arcuate end platemovable through said transverse'slot, means beneath said table topconnectedto said end plates for movably supporting said hood, and meansfor moving said hood from `one position to the other.y

4. An article of manufacture comprising a table `having a substantiallyunobstructed top adapted to be used for `massage purposes and providedlwith spaced transverse slots extending part way across said table top,one of said slots being located adjacent one end of said table and theother of said slots being spaced from the other end of said table adistance sufficient to provide a head rest between said slot and the endof said table, a vhood including a substantially semicylindrical bodyportion movable from an inoperative position beneath -said table top toan operative `position over said table top in which it cooperatestherewith to form -a bath cabinet, end plates connected to said bodyportion and movable through said slots including an arcuate end platemovable through said second mentioned slot, a hood supporting rodbeneath said table top, means connected to said end plates forsupporting said hood von said rod for Amovement from one position to theother.

BETSY P. SKJERVEN.

